T & J Excavating: Breaking New Ground and Moving Mountains (of Dirt) in Tulsa

In the bustling construction landscape of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the roar of a diesel engine and the sight of yellow iron shifting the earth is a sign of progress. It signifies a new home rising for a young family, a new parking lot for a growing local business, or the essential infrastructure that keeps our city running. Behind that machinery is a story of dedication, family values, and dirt under the fingernails. At T & J Excavating, we aren’t just a company that digs holes; we are a family-owned and operated institution that has spent two decades shaping the very ground Tulsa stands on.

My name is Trev Fielden, the founder and owner-operator of T & J Excavating. If you have seen our trucks on the road or watched our excavators deftly carving out a basement in your neighborhood, you know we stay busy. But we rarely take the time to turn off the engine, hop out of the cab, and really talk about what drives us. Today, we want to give you an inside look at our operations, our philosophy, and why, after twenty years of perfecting this craft, we are more excited than ever to serve our community. This is the story of how we turn a rough patch of Oklahoma land into a solid foundation for your future.

A Legacy Built on Oklahoma Clay

T & J Excavation isn’t a faceless corporation managed by a board of directors in another state. We are a dedicated family-owned and operated business right here in the heart of Tulsa. Our roots go deep into this soil—literally and figuratively. My journey began over twenty years ago with a simple passion for construction and the heavy equipment that makes it possible. There is something profoundly satisfying about looking at a chaotic, overgrown piece of land in the morning and seeing a clean, perfectly graded slate by the evening.

Over the last two decades, I have dedicated myself to perfecting this craft. Excavation is often misunderstood as blunt force work, but in reality, it is a game of finesse. Operating a twenty-ton machine requires the touch of a surgeon. One wrong move can damage a utility line or compromise a foundation. Our longevity in this business is a testament to our precision. We have weathered the economic storms and the literal Oklahoma tornadoes, and we are still here because we prioritize quality over speed. When you hire T & J, you are getting a team led by an owner who is on-site, ensuring that every bucket of dirt moved meets our high standards. We pride ourselves on our commitment to our customers, treating every project—whether it’s a small residential drainage fix or a massive commercial clear—with the same level of respect and intensity.

The Art and Science of Site Preparation

When people think of construction, they usually picture framing hammers and concrete trucks. But the most critical phase of any build happens long before the carpenters arrive. It happens during site preparation. This is the “invisible” work that ensures a structure stands the test of time.

At T & J Excavating, we view site prep as engineering the earth. We start by analyzing the topography of the land. In Tulsa, we deal with a wide variety of soil conditions, from sandy loam to the notorious hard-packed red clay that can be as hard as concrete in the summer and a slippery mess in the spring. Our job is to stabilize that ground. We clear the vegetation, remove the organic topsoil that is prone to shifting, and get down to the stable sub-grade.

From there, we engage in “cut and fill” operations. This involves cutting down the high spots and filling in the low spots to create a level building pad. But you can’t just pile dirt and hope for the best. We use heavy vibratory rollers and compactors to compress the soil in layers, or “lifts.” This removes air pockets and increases the density of the ground, ensuring it can support the immense weight of a concrete foundation without settling. If you have ever seen a house with cracks in the drywall or doors that won’t close, it is often because the excavator didn’t compact the soil correctly ten years ago. We do it right the first time so your home stays solid forever.

The Logistics of Material: Sourcing and Removal

One of the most complex aspects of our industry is the logistics of material management. Every time we dig a hole—whether for a basement, a storm shelter, or a swimming pool—we generate a massive surplus of earth. Conversely, when we are building up a low-lying lot to prevent flooding, we need to import material. This constant balancing act is where our expertise shines.

Finding high-quality material is essential for a stable build. You cannot build a house pad on top of debris, trash, or organic matter that will decompose and cause sinkholes. You need clean, compactable material. For homeowners and contractors looking for Fill Dirt in Tulsa, OK, understanding the difference between “dirt” and “structural fill” is vital. We source and manage material that is specifically suited for compaction and grading. This ensures that when we raise the grade of your yard or build a pad for your new shop, the ground remains stable and predictable. By managing our own material sourcing, we can control the quality and the cost, passing those efficiencies on to our clients.

Precision Grading and Drainage Solutions

If there is one thing that causes more damage to homes in Oklahoma than anything else, it is water. Improper drainage can ruin foundations, flood basements, and turn a beautiful backyard into a mosquito-infested swamp. Excavation is the primary tool for water management.

We don’t just flatten land; we sculpt it to shed water. Using laser-guided grading equipment, we create subtle slopes—often invisible to the naked eye—that direct rainwater away from your foundation and towards appropriate drainage channels. We might cut swales (shallow ditches) to carry water to the street, or we might install underground drainage systems.

This precision extends to driveways and parking lots as well. A driveway is only as good as the sub-base beneath it. If water pools under your concrete driveway, the freeze-thaw cycle in winter will cause the ground to heave, cracking the concrete. We excavate the soft soil and install a compacted gravel base that drains well, providing a solid backbone for your paving. Whether we are clearing a parking lot for a business or prepping a driveway for a farmhouse, the principles of hydrology and gravity guide every move we make.

Infrastructure and Utility Trenching

While moving mountains of earth is the flashy part of the job, the delicate work happens in the trenches. Utility excavation is a critical service we provide for both residential and commercial projects. This involves digging the pathways for water mains, sewer lines, electrical conduits, and gas pipes.

This is high-stakes work. We are operating powerful machinery in tight spaces, often crossing paths with existing, live utilities. Safety is paramount. We coordinate closely with the 811 “Call Before You Dig” service to mark known lines, but we also rely on our experience to “read” the ground. We know how to dig efficiently while maintaining the structural integrity of the trench walls to keep our team safe.

Beyond safety, there is a technical aspect to trenching. Sewer lines, for example, rely on gravity. They must be dug at a very specific slope (or “fall”) to ensure that waste flows away from the building without clogging. We use transits and lasers to ensure the pipe is bedded at the exact angle required by code. We don’t just dig a ditch; we create a precise underground highway for your home’s essential services.

Our Dedicated Resource for Material Management

To further serve our clients and streamline our operations, we have expanded our capabilities to include a dedicated facility for material management. In the excavation business, time is money. If a truck has to drive forty-five minutes across town to dump a load of spoil, that is time that the machine is sitting idle.

By operating our own Tulsa Dirt Site, we have created a logistical hub that allows us to work faster and cleaner. This site serves as a processing center where we can manage the earth we remove from our projects. It gives us a reliable outlet for clean fill and a source for material when a job site is short. For our clients, this means we aren’t at the mercy of third-party dump sites that might be closed or full. We control the flow of material, which means we control the schedule. It is just another way we have optimized our business over the last twenty years to provide professional, efficient services.

The Peace of Mind of a Fully Insured Team

We know that hiring a contractor can be stressful. You are inviting heavy machinery onto your property, and the potential for accidents—though rare with a pro team—is always there. That is why T & J Excavating operates as a fully insured company.

We provide peace of mind for our clients and protection for our team. We carry liability insurance that protects your property in the unlikely event of damage, and we carry workers’ compensation to protect our crew. We believe that professionalism isn’t just about how straight you can dig a trench; it’s about how responsibly you run your business. When you choose us, you are choosing a partner who has taken every step to mitigate risk. We don’t cut corners on safety, and we don’t cut corners on coverage. You can rest easy knowing that your project is in the hands of a legitimate, protected operation.

Putting Our Skills to Work for You

As we look toward the future, T & J Excavating remains committed to the values that got us here: hard work, honesty, and family. We are proud of the reputation we have built in Tulsa. We have grown from a man with a passion for construction into a premier excavation service, but we have never lost that personal touch.

Whether you are a developer looking to clear a massive lot, a homeowner needing a pad for a new garage, or a neighbor trying to fix a drainage issue, we are ready to help. We bring twenty years of experience, a fleet of well-maintained equipment, and a dedication to quality that you can see in every job we finish. Choose T & J Excavation for your next project, and experience the dedication and expertise that come from years of experience in the field. Let us put our skills to work for you.